Hearty Spices

Masala Powder - Finely grind  1“ dalchini, 1 elaichi and 2 cloves and keep aside Marinade - Wash and cut the ½ kg Chicken into medium sized pieces . Marinate it with 1 tbsp of Yogurt, ½ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, ½ tsp of Pepper Powder, 1½ tsp of Coriander Powder, ½ tsp of Cumin Powder, pinch of Turmeric Powder, 1 tsp of Vinegar / Lemon Juice, 1 tsp of Soya Sauce, Salt to taste and 1¼ tsp of Ginger Garlic paste  for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Gravy - Heat ½ of the Oil in a cooking vessel, add a chopped large Onion and fry till transparent. Add  chopped pieces of 2 Green Capsicums and 2 Tomatoes and saute for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and keep aside. Curry - In the same vessel, heat  1 tbsp of Oil , add the marinated chicken and cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes, combining once in a while. Reduce to medium heat; let the chicken cook for 8-10 minutes, uncovered. Add ¼ cup of Water and cook till chicken turns soft and there ...

Shrimp - Clean, shell, devin about 500 gms of Prawns / Shrimps and keep aside. Curry - Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan and saute a large chopped Onion, 3-4 slit Green Chilies  till onions are transparent. Add  1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, few Curry Leaves and saute for a minute. Add a medium chopped Tomato and saute for another 3 minutes. Now, add a 1/3 tsp of Turmeric Powder , 1 tsp of Coriander Powder, ½ tsp  of Cumin Powder , 1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder and combine. Add the cleaned prawns/shrimps, Salt to taste ; mix well and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Now add 1 cup of Water and cover cook further for 5-7 minutes on medium heat. Add ¼ tsp  of Garam Masala Powder; mix well and remove from heat.    Garnish with few chopped Coriander/Cilantro Leaves and serve hot with steamed white rice or chapatis/rotis.

½ packet or 15 Button Mushroom, chopped 1 cup Frozen Green peas, boiled 2 Tomato, chopped 1 Onion, chopped 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste ¼ bunch Coriander Leaves, chopped 2 cups Milk 1 tsp Ghee, for topping Salt to taste Spice Powders: 1 tbsp Coriander Powder ½ tbsp Cummin Powder ¼ tsp Garam Masala Chilli Powde, as required Pepper Powder, as requried ¼ tsp Saunf Powder Bengal Gram Dal + Urad Dal - each ¼ tbsp - Fried in a dry pan and powder it Heat oil in a frying pan. Add saunf powder in hot oil and then add onion. Saute till golden brown. Now add the Ginger garlic paste saute till aroma disappears. Now add the tomato and fry them until they are mushy. Add all the powders one by one except pepper and dhal powders. Saute well and now add mushroom. Mushroom oozes out water, let them come out and absorbed again. Now add green peas and milk. Dont add water. As soon as the milk is added stir well to avoid curdling. Now add pepper, dal powder (mix with tbsp of water and add to avoid lumps) and...

Prep - Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 8×8 square pan or bundt pan with non stick spray. Batter - In a medium mixing bowl, cream ½ stick of Butter and 1 cup of Sugar for 3-4 minutes until light in color and creamy. Add 1 Egg and 2 tsp Vanilla Extract and cream for an additional 2 minutes. Add ½ tsp of Salt, 2 tsp of Baking Powder and 2 cups of All Purpose Flour and mix on med-low speed adding the ½ cup of Buttermilk / Milk in a steady stream. Mix batter until everything is fully incorporated, approximately 3-5 minutes. Batter will be nice and thick. Fold in fresh 1½ cup of Blueberries and pour batter into pan. Set aside. Topping - In a food processor or by hand, mix 1 cup of Brown Sugar, ¾ cup of All Purpose Flour, 2 tsp of Cinnamon and 5 tbsp of Cold Butter until the mixture is crumbly. If mixing by hand, just use your fingertips or the back of a fork. Add crumb topping mixture to the cake pan and gently press everything down. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until done. ...

Veggies - Heat 2 tsp of Oil in a pan and fry 4 medium Eggplants, chopped, ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder and Salt as needed for 15 minutes on low heat and keep aside. In the same pan, heat a tsp of Oil and fry 6 whole Green Chillies for 2 minutes. Cut a small Lemon Cucumber (Dosakaya) into thin and small pieces and keep aside. Chutney - Grind fried chillies, ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds, 5 Garlic Cloves, chopped, 1 tsp of Tamarind Paste and Salt . Add fried brinjal and grind once and then add choped cucumber and grind again. Keep aside in a bowl. Tempering -  Heat 2 tsp of Oil in a pan, saute 1 Red Chilli, ¼ tsp of Mustard Seeds, ¼ of tsp Cumin Seeds . After they splutter, add ½ tsp of Black Gram Dal (Urad Dal), ½ tsp of Channa Dal and few Curry Leaves and remove from heat. Add this to the chutney bowl and mix well. Garnish with  few Coriander Leaves .

500 gm Ground Lamb meat 1 large Yellow Onion, sliced 5 tbsp Canola Oil 4 Green Chillies, slit in middle 1½ tbsp Ginger Garlic paste 3 Tomatoes, finely chopped 1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder 2½ tbsp Salt 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder ½ cup Yogurt 4 Green Cardamoms 2 Cinnamon sticks 1 tsp Caraway seeds 5 cups Water 3 cups Rice 3 tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped Wash and soak the rice in fresh cool water sufficient enough to remain 5 cms above the level of rice. Wash ground meat along with sliced onions well and drain the water completely in a very fine mesh strainer. In a large saucepan at medium heat, add 3 tbsp oil and green chillies, cinnamon stick, cardamom, caraway seeds and ginger garlic paste. Let it splutter and fry. In a minute. add the drained onions + ground meat and also add red chilli powder, 2½ tsp salt, garam masala powder, tomatoes and stir well and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until you see oil floating on top. Add the yogurt and mix well. Let cook for 2-3 minutes. Add cilantro and ...

¼ kg Purple Brinjals, wash, make + quarters with stalk intact and apply oil 1 tbsp Oil Few Curry Leaves For stuffing: 1¼ tbsp Coriander Seeds 3 tbsps Chana Dal 1½ tbsp Urad Dal 2-3 dry Red Chillis, tear and de-seed ½ tsp Cumin Seeds Pinch of Methi Seeds Big pinch Asafoetida Small gooseberry sized Tamarind Salt to taste Add ½ tsp oil in a cooking vessel, add coriander seeds and stir-fry till it turns slightly dark in color. Remove. Similarly, add channa dal and urad dal, roast till them till they turn red and remove. Dry roast dry red chillis, methi seeds and cumin together for 2 mts and remove. Cool the dry roasted ingredients. Add turmeric pwd, salt, tamarind, and hing to these roasted ingredients and grind them all together to a coarse pwd. It should not be wet. In the same vessel, add the remaining oil, add curry leaves and toss them for a few seconds. Place the stuffed brinjals in the oil and cook on high flame for 4-5 mts. Now, cover with lid and let them cook on medium flame for ...